Motorcycle Questions......

[Barry Reade]

I have run Amsoil in my motorbikes since 1985. They make a 10-40 and a 20-50. It is compatable with wet clutches which most motorbikes have. I have run it in drag bikes, street bikes, dirt bikes, cars, boats, chainsaws, and lawnmowers. Good stuff. There are also other great oils out there and you will find that no two folks run the same oil and it is a nasty subject and most motorcycle forums have banned oil threads. So pick an oil that is rated for you bike and application that is eASY TO FIND AND DOES A GOOD JOB.

This is still the USA and we get to make our own decisions except when Dennis says we can't on this forum.

[Lee DeRaud]

Lee, what kind of V-4 do you have?

Last bike was a 1983 Honda V45 Sabre...gave it up in '99: I was slowing down but it wasn't.

If I were shopping today, this would certainly be tempting.
One of the local PDs is using them.

[Jim Becker]

Dennis, everything I buy from Duluth Trading is superior is quality and very satisfying. They pretty much have cornered my tee-shirt, mock-tee and business casual shirt business at this point. Minimal shrinkage, heavy fabrics and the long-tails on the tees are absolutely wonderful for staying in my pants. The sizes run a little generous...I was buying their XLs as I like things roomy, but recently switched to just L as they are more like everyone else's XLs.

That vest might come in handy, BTW....not just for riding the cycle, but for when you are doing any kind of stuff out near the road on your property. I like to wear brights even when just mowing along the road as there are too many idiots driving by at about 65 in the 40 MPH zone in front of the house...

[John Shuk]

Loud pipes also scare the uh... out of my sleeping baby when walking down Main St. in my nice quiet town.
Loud pipe are just annoying to me.

[Heather Thompson]

Never heard anything bad about amsoil , so theres no facts other than one guys opinion to run from it?[/quote]

Craig,

I have spent alot of time at the race track (vintage two stroke racing) WERA member/rider. There are not to many racers that run Amsoil in thier bikes, granted we do tune our bikes pretty close to the edge and we do blow up occasionally. I have run Klotz two stroke oil in my race bikes for years, never a problem. I saw a Amsoil representative chased out of the pits at Road Atlanta when he was pitching his product.

Heather

[Greg Heppeard]

Dennis,

Get a good light bar for the front and get the pulsating brake light system. If blue dots are legal where you are, use them too. There are air horns you can add and they don't look bad. (My wife made me get loud pipes, she's not a rider and used to be annoyed at them, but now she likes mine. You don't have to be an idiot and do the Harley rev at stop lights) With the matching carb jets and louder pipes, your gas milage increases. Good Memphis Shade windshield, crash bars, padded back rest and rear carrier along with a good set of saddle bags are also a must have....there's never enough storage room on a bike. If you plan on longer rides, a good set of highway pegs really help, along with a throttle rocker or cruise control on the throttle.

As far as cleaning, I just run mine thru the car wash when it gets dirty. After a couple of years, no rust anywhere. I just spray it off and use the spray on clear coat protector on everything, then towel dry.

I use the oil they put in at the Honda shop.

8800 miles since Oct 06....not a problem 1.

[Dan Bussiere]

As was suggested earlier, go to the VTXOA forum website. There you will find all of the same silly arguments about loud pipes, helmets and oil.

As for my opinion, which most of you could care less about, loud pipes save lives simply because people don't like them and they bother them enough to take notice.

Make sure you not only have good front and rear lighting, but also make sure you are visible from the sides with decent marker lights.

Helmets-Yes

Vest- Won't hurt

Oil - if changed properly it doesn't matter

Stupid people on cell phones - they are a problem for everyone not just motorcycles. Perhaps some folks don't like loud pipes because they can't hear their cell phones while they drive.

Cleaning - Any normal cleaners will do a good enough job. I have learned to use the Mr. Clean system with the filtered water rinse. It leaves no spots on your chrome if you let it dry all by itself (don't rub it dry with a cloth).

If someone doesn't ride a bike, they probably won't understand.

My 2 cents.

[Joe Chritz]

If people will pull in front of a fully lighted police motor with siren they will pull in front of anything. An emergency run on the motor is one of the scariest things I have done.

You are responsible for your own safety. Not just on a motor but on any vehicle. With proper riding techniques, keeping your head in the game and being careful you can avoid most accidents and the ones you can't you can greatly reduce any potential injury.

No matter how long you have been riding, a professional training class is a good idea. Not a class for new riders but one that is geared for experienced riders. Preferably a civilian version of a police cycle course.

That class was one of the hardest things I have ever done.

Stay safe

Joe

[Rick Moyer]

1. Here's some reading to keep you busy for a while: draw your own conclusions. http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Consumables.html
2.&3. I don't wax the pipes (or any of the chrome for that matter). Honda's chrome is excellent in my opinion and needs only occasional cleaning. I use a chrome cleaner/polish of which the name escapes me at the moment. The painted surfaces get a three step Maguire's (cleaner-polish-wax) when I really want it to shine, otherwise just a washing with mild soap (blue car wash) and a microfibre towel. Then blow dry with a leaf blower.
4. I had loud pipes on my last bike. I have since decided that their negative impact far outweighs any perceived benefit in terms of safety. They annoy most people, don't make you more visible, and give the general motorcycle-riding populus a bad name. I found that when adding a lightbar on the front I noticed many more people seeing me more quickly than before. Others have suggested a headlight modulator, which definitely will attrack attention; (but I don't like the look). A rear brakelight modulator will also help from behind. Another thing mentioned (which I did) is to install air horns. This way if someone doesn't SEE you they will certainly HEAR you! If you really want to be seen and don't care about your image you should get a white or orange helmet and wear a reflective safety vest over your clothing. Make sure to tape the nosepiece of your eyeglasses and stick some pencils in your pocket protector then ,too!

Seriously though, the best thing to do is become the best rider you can. Take a riding class, practice your skills, gain knowledge ("Proficient Motorcycling" is an excellent book), and be aware of what can happen so you can hopefully avoid it.

[Dennis Peacock]

Holy cow Rick..!!!! That's a TON of info on motor oil alone!!!!!! Should only take me a week to digest what it's really saying.

Thanks for the link to the info.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Okay Dennis....I've been thinking about this because I don't want my friend Dennis to be endangered so here's what you do in detail:

1. Let you hair grow long.....wear it in a pony tail......grow a beard...don't take a bath for 6 months.......Bleach your hair blonde. Go for that Hulk Hogan look. All the locals will think you are not local and they will keep an eye out for you!

2. License your motorcycle in New York State or better yet....Idaho. You know all the Arkies will keep an eye out for a motorcyclist from some place called Idaho!

3. Forget the bibs.....Get one of those surplus weather balloons.....the reflective aluminum ones....cut holes in it and wear it as a rain suit. Now the locals are probably going to think you are a crazy...and they'll keep an eye out for you.

4. Get a bumper sticker that says you are a proud member of Hand Gun Control Incorporated....Now we know what folks down there think of gun control.....they'll keep an eye on you!

5. Get a bumper sticker that says I support NAFTA. Now we know what the local folks think of that.....they'll keep an eye on you!

6. When you ride to and from work, I'd ride as fast as your bike will go....I think the locals will be keeping an eye on you....probably trying to catch err.......but you will be seen and getting hit by a car won't be a problem. Can you dodge bullets however?




If the mods feel they have to edit this.....have at it ....I'll understand!

[Al Willits]

Dennis, fwiw I think if you find any of the major brands..well..except pennzoil.. and find the ones that meet the required specs for the bike or whatever your driving, and change oil often and regularly you'll have good luck.

Synthetics seem to be "the" oil to use now and Redline is a very good brand if ya can find it, but watch for how much synthetic is in the brand your looking at, not all synthetic is 100% pure.

I ran Kendal GT Turbo in my drag and street bikes and it handled the heat the motors/turbo's generated well, also seemed to work well in day to day riding.
Amzoil seemed to be effected by the heat and or stress that the drag bikes put out and the lock up clutch would start to grab a bit, but I doubt your street bike will be subjected to that kind of abuse.

Regular maintenance and ride like they're out to get you, and you should be ok.

[JayStPeter]

Loud HORN mod is a good one.

[Steven Wilson]

Dennis,

A lot of the diesel oil's work well in motorcycle applications. Since I use a fair amout of Amsoil product for other applications and thus get a good discount, I would probably choose an appropriate Amsoil product and then go from there. Mobile Delvac 1 ESP (5W-40 full synthetic) and the Rotella's would also be on my list - depending on application. The OEM branded filters and fluids are also good although pricey. However, with some searching you can find more reasonable prices on OEM materials.

For cleaning, I use to use Cycle Car products. Found them at a Goldwing Touring Association event and they worked well enough that I used them until I quit riding. Kept my Goldwing, Ducati Monster, and Honda Steed (aka Shadow in the USA) in fine shape.

As for riding to work I liked my Aerostich Darien Jacket although I would probably choose an Aerostich Darien Light jacket if I was buying one today (IIRC the light wasn't available when I was riding).

[Harry Hagan]

Dennis,
I’d highly recommend a motorcycle safety course before you even acquire your bike to develop good habits from the start. After you’ve been riding on a regular basis for about a year, take an advanced course. The best safety feature you’ll ever own is that gray matter between your ears and some good ole common sense. Also, loud pipes have saved me from getting run over on the highway and in parking lots on several occasions.
The best tip I can give you on cleaning you bike is to rinse it off with de-ionized water after you’re satisfied it’s clean. No wet towels to mess with and a simple everyday wash can be completed in a fifth of the time if have trouble with waterspots. Here’s what I use: http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...opnav=&browse=